In order to ensure precision and uniformity in timekeeping across the country, the Indian government recently published a draft of new metrology rules for Indian Standard Time (IST) for public consultation. The draft, devised by the Department of Consumer Affairs, in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is part of a broader ‘One India, One Time’ initiative that intends to transition from GPS to India’s regional navigation system for time synchronization, ensuring that the country has a self-reliant and secure timekeeping system.
Currently, IST is determined, down to the millisecond, using GPS satellites linked to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). However, reports suggest that the government is gearing towards the transition to using Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) for time dissemination.
“IST shall be the mandatory time reference across all sectors, including commerce, transport, public administration, legal contracts, and financial operations,” the draft rule stated.
How will ‘One Nation, One Time’ work?
Though the government is yet to provide the official procedure for time synchronization, multiple reports claim that atomic clocks will be used to maintain the accuracy of IST, which is currently set 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The NPL, located in New Delhi is currently primary source of IST, equipped with advanced atomic clocks that lose only a second over millions of years.
The NPL will provide reference time to four regional centers in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, and Guwahati via optical fibre, ensuring that the time is uniformly accurate across the country. Each centre will also have an atomic clock to create a robust network that supports precision timing.
Display and use of IST
The draft stated that all government offices and public institutions will be required to display IST on all time-keeping devices, ensuring synchronisation through reliable sources like Network Time Protocol (NTP) or Precision Time Protocol (PTP) or any other source.
Exceptions
Notably, the use of alternative timescales such as GMT will be permitted for specific purposes such as astronomy, navigation and scientific research, “subject to prior permission and compliance with government directives”.
What’s the current situation?
Despite its significance, not all telecom and internet service providers have adopted IST mandatorily, with many still relying on foreign time sources. Efforts are underway to align these systems with IST to enhance national security and operational efficiency.
After the deployment of atomic clocks, the time shown on digital watches, smartphones and laptops will be based on them instead of service providers accessing data from multiple sources linked to GPS.